Climate change refers to the long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional, and global climates. It is a global phenomenon characterized by changes in the usual climate of the planet, such as temperature, precipitation, and wind, that are especially caused by human activities. Climate change is different from weather, which describes the conditions outside right now in a specific place. Here are some key points to understand about climate change:

• Climate change is a long-term increase in the Earths average surface temperature and the large-scale changes in global, regional, and local weather patterns that result from that increase, caused by a significant increase in the levels of greenhouse gases that are produced by the use of fossil fuels.

• Climate change is driven by human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere, raising Earth’s average surface temperature.

• Climate change has a broad range of observed effects that are synonymous with the term, including warming temperatures and changes in precipitation, as well as the effects of Earth’s warming, such as sea-level rise, ice mass loss, shifts in flower/plant blooming, and extreme weather events.

• Climate change has significant impacts on the health of Earths plants and animals, and it threatens the sustainability of the planet’s ecosystems, as well as the future of humankind and the stability of the global economy.

In summary, climate change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional, and global climates, caused by human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere, raising Earth’s average surface temperature.